2004
Rip Rapp Archaeological Geology Award

Michael R. Waters
Texas A&M University

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Presented to Michael R. Waters

 Citation by Steven L. Forman

It is an honor and a pleasure to present the citation for the 2004 Rip Rapp Award to Dr. Michael R. Waters (Professor, Texas A&M University) in recognition of his many contributions to geoarchaeology. Mike is no stranger to GSA awards, having received the Kirk Bryan Award with Vance Haynes in 2003 for their work on Holocene arroyo dynamics in the Southwestern U.S. The Rip Rapp Award is particularly distinctive for Mike because it recognizes how he has uniquely blended archaeology and Quaternary Geology and Geomorphology to advance the evolving science of geoarchaeology. Mike's quest to integrate these disciplines started in graduate school at the University of Arizona where he immersed himself in the worlds of Vance Haynes and Bill Bull. This explains his predilection for Clovis and older sites and imaginative approaches in interpreting fluvial terrace sequences. He possesses an ease and clarity in skillfully uniting archaeologic and Quaternary geologic records providing interpretative frameworks for vast areas in the Southwestern U.S., south Texas, the Savannah River in South Carolina, the Lena River in Russia, and soon-to-come for central Mexico. His vast experience, contributions, and insights are reflected in the elegantly written text Geoarchaeology, which is an invaluable source book for students, practitioners, and professionals.

Mike is an astute field geologist. He is highly motivated to see the artifactual, stratigraphic and geochronologic evidence for claims of a pre-Clovis site. His assessments are critical and much valued by the community. However, he casts a critical eye in a humane and jovial manner, seeking clarity with consideration of previous efforts. It is to Mike's credit that many archaeologists and Quaternary geologists continue to seek his input because he forwards alternative ideas, based on the field and laboratory data, and openly enriches the dialectic. In one of his many posts at Texas A&M as Executive Director, North Star Archaeological Research Program he gathers a diverse group of archaeologists, geologists, geophysicists and geochemists focused on critically evaluating evidence for pre-Clovis occupation at sites across the Americas. In this new role he continues to integrate new approaches and ideas that will redefine the archaeologic record for the earliest occupation of the Americas.

To his credit Mike takes risks and the community often benefits. Case-in-point, is his landmark research at the Diring Yuriak Site in Russia, which provided the oldest evidence of Arctic habitation by humans and these results appeared in Science. Mike ventured up the Lena River alone, befriended a "grizzly bear" of a site archeologist, evaluated, and photographed artifacts, established for the first time a verifiable stratigraphic context, and hand carried back pounds of luminescence samples to finally date this site. I am impressed with how much Mike accomplishes and sees at "unworkable" archaeological sites.

In the charged arena of research on the peopling of America, Mike Waters is a calm, down-to-earth, data-bound and thoughtful voice. He is not distracted or lured by media attention but, sticks to the geoarchaeologic context. Mike is a quality person and under the worst field conditions keeps his cheer. He is scrupulously fair to all, humble, but has a real drive to push frontiers of knowledge. His scholarship, diverse abilities, endless optimism, creativity, humanity, and ability to integrate across disciplines distinguish him as a scientists deserving of the Rip Rapp Award.

  2004 Rip Rapp Archaeological Geology Award - Response by Michael R. Waters

It is a great honor to receive the Rip Rapp Award for 2004. I would not be here today without the support of my family, friends, colleagues, and teachers.

My interests in archaeology and geology began early in San Diego County, California. My parents, Jane and John Waters, supported and encouraged these interests. As a high school student, I assisted with excavations and surveys all over San Diego County working mostly for Paul Ezell and Charlotte McGowen.

When it came time for college, I asked Paul Ezell where I should go to school to obtain a degree in archaeology. He sent me to his old alma mater in Arizona. There I started as an undergraduate in the department of anthropology. Because of my interests in the peopling of the Americas, I became acquainted with Julian Hayden. Julian taught me much about desert archaeology and introduced me to radical thinking about the first inhabitants of the Americas. During this time, I was also influenced by Vance Haynes who taught me that it was essential to understand the geology and dating of sites in order to pursue first Americans research. With the encouragement of Ted Smiley, Larry Agenbroad, Julian Hayden, and others I changed my major from archaeology to geology, and throughout the rest of my education I straddled both fields.

After graduation, I was fortunate to obtain a position as a geoarchaeologist at Texas A&M University in the Departments of Anthropology and Geography. From this base, I have been able to work on the first Americas problem; conducting research at early sites in the United States, Russia, and Mexico. I was also able to pursue research on the landscape evolution of many streams in southern Arizona in an effort to understand the effects of landscape changes on late prehistoric agriculturalists. A great day came in 2002 when Rob Bonnichsen and the Center for the Study of the First Americans relocated to Texas A&M University. Since the move, Rob and I have been conducting collaborative research at early sites in Mexico, Texas, Wisconsin, South Carolina, and elsewhere.

All along the way, I have had the good fortune to meet and work with many wonderful archaeologists and geologists. I have had the chance to work with and forge long standing friendships with colleagues such as Steve Forman. I have been blessed with wonderful students such as Lee Nordt. Every site I have worked on has been an adventure, a learning experience, and a chance to make new friends.

None of what I have done would have been possible without the support of my wife Susan and daughter Kate. Both have endured my many absences in the name of archaeology.

I mention my past and some of the people that have helped me along the way in order to say that I am not alone tonight at this podium. I am here because of many people. I stand here on the shoulders of my family, and those of my teachers, friends, and colleagues. I thank all of them.

In closing, I thank Steve Forman for his kind words tonight, Lee Nordt for nominating me for this award, and the Archaeological Geology Division for this honor.